Zenith 801 profiled on the 4th season of The Aviators

KeithASanford

KeithASanford

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MyTurnToFly
I saw the Zenith STOL 801 on the 2nd episode of season 4 of "The Aviators" today. Sweet plane. I always thought they were kind of strange looking, but seeing that bird get off the ground on skis, packed to the hilt, in like 200 feet really impressed me. They say the two seat LSA version 750 is simple to build. Someone on POA has a red 801 one on their avatar, but I can't remember who it is. :dunno:

PIREP, please!
 
There is a dealership that builds them in the small town where I live. They have an open house every fall which I never miss. Both the 801 and the 750 are gorgeously functional aircraft. I am in the process of trying to figure out how I can afford a 750.

I got a ride in one last year and the performance totally hooked me. Not just the takeoff but also the landing. We were at 800 feet on short final and I asked the pilot if this was a go-around? Nope, I can hit the numbers from here! At the time I was tbinking , "This sounds a little too much like one of those accident report s where the guy says, watch this!".
The wheels hit the numbers... Too fricken cool.
 
I'm building a 750 right now and it is really easy and great quality. A person with average mechanical skills should be able to do one without any problems. Don
 
KeithASanford said:
I saw the Zenith STOL 801 on the 2nd episode of season 4 of "The Aviators" today. Sweet plane. I always thought they were kind of strange looking, but seeing that bird get off the ground on skis, packed to the hilt, in like 200 feet really impressed me. They say the two seat LSA version 750 is simple to build. Someone on POA has a red 801 one on their avatar, but I can't remember who it is. :dunno:

PIREP, please!
Click to expand...

Who would want a Zenith 801..:dunno:

They are the ugliest plane ever conceived..:yes:;)
 
N801BH said:
Who would want a Zenith 801..:dunno:

They are the ugliest plane ever conceived..:yes:;)
Click to expand...

Too late - the OP has seen one and thinks it is a sweet plane. Say, what's that in your avatar? And I don't mean the snow covered granite mammaries.
 
N801BH said:
Who would want a Zenith 801..:dunno:

They are the ugliest plane ever conceived..:yes:;)
Click to expand...

Aha, Ben! You're the guy. Nice plane, man. Any quirks? Did you build yours?


Lndwarrior said:
There is a dealership that builds them in the small town where I live. They have an open house every fall which I never miss. Both the 801 and the 750 are gorgeously functional aircraft. I am in the process of trying to figure out how I can afford a 750.

I got a ride in one last year and the performance totally hooked me. Not just the takeoff but also the landing. We were at 800 feet on short final and I asked the pilot if this was a go-around? Nope, I can hit the numbers from here! At the time I was tbinking , "This sounds a little too much like one of those accident report s where the guy says, watch this!".
The wheels hit the numbers... Too fricken cool.
Click to expand...

yakdriver said:
I'm building a 750 right now and it is really easy and great quality. A person with average mechanical skills should be able to do one without any problems. Don
Click to expand...

The 750 would be a great father and son project for me and my kid.

I talked to a guy at a local field a couple of years ago who told me he built a 750 through the local EAA chapter, took it flying once and it freaked him out so much that he sold it the same week. It was too "squirrely" for him. I took that to mean it has agile handling? :dunno:
 
KeithASanford said:
Aha, Ben! You're the guy. Nice plane, man. Any quirks? Did you build yours?

I built mine..... all 14,210 rivets and about 1000 threaded fasteners..:yikes:

No real quirks during the build... well , except getting the 400HP V-8 Ford to fit..:hairraise::redface:






The 750 would be a great father and son project for me and my kid.

I talked to a guy at a local field a couple of years ago who told me he built a 750 through the local EAA chapter, took it flying once and it freaked him out so much that he sold it the same week. It was too "squirrely" for him. I took that to mean it has agile handling? :dunno:
Click to expand...

The STOL Zenith series with the fixed leading edge slats do take a bit of getting used to, but Henning got in mine and flew it from the right seat for a few minutes and he never did freak out....
 
N801BH said:
Who would want a Zenith 801..:dunno:

They are the ugliest plane ever conceived..:yes:;)
Click to expand...


With all that power, what does it cruise at? Looked like a cool kit but would travel much nicer if you could get 125 mph out of it.

I usually fly a 150 and when the headwinds are 30+ it gets depressing!
 
Mike5250 said:
With all that power, what does it cruise at? Looked like a cool kit but would travel much nicer if you could get 125 mph out of it.

I usually fly a 150 and when the headwinds are 30+ it gets depressing!
Click to expand...

The Zenith is VERY aerodynamically dirty... I can cruise at 95 mph burning 6.5 GPH.. It takes about 12 GPH to go 105 mph.... At 115 mph it is full power and burning 18+ gph..... Long story short..... The plane hits the efficiency wall at about 92-95 mph.... After that it is like pulling a parachute...:redface::(..

On my trip to OSH it took 13 hours to get there and 21 hours to get home with some horrendous headwinds heading westbound....:sad::redface:
 
N801BH said:
The Zenith is VERY aerodynamically dirty... I can cruise at 95 mph burning 6.5 GPH.. It takes about 12 GPH to go 105 mph.... At 115 mph it is full power and burning 18+ gph..... Long story short..... The plane hits the efficiency wall at about 92-95 mph.... After that it is like pulling a parachute...:redface::(..

On my trip to OSH it took 13 hours to get there and 21 hours to get home with some horrendous headwinds heading westbound....:sad::redface:
Click to expand...


Wow interesting.

You run the v8 for r&d or for fun? Must climb nice.
 
N801BH said:
I did get a bit chilly... but I was wearing my tennis shoes, you had on good shoes..;)
Click to expand...

I didn't want to say anything, but who the **** wears tennis shoes when it's -20f and there's 2 foot of snow on the ground?:rofl:
 
Henning said:
I didn't want to say anything, but who the **** wears tennis shoes when it's -20f and there's 2 foot of snow on the ground?:rofl:
Click to expand...

:lol::lol:..

Same kind of person who rides a snowmobile at 100MPH without a helmet and faceshield...;)..

Admit it.......... we are both crazy...:yes:;)
 
Last edited:
N801BH said:
The Zenith is VERY aerodynamically dirty... I can cruise at 95 mph burning 6.5 GPH.. It takes about 12 GPH to go 105 mph.... At 115 mph it is full power and burning 18+ gph..... Long story short..... The plane hits the efficiency wall at about 92-95 mph.... After that it is like pulling a parachute...:redface::(..

On my trip to OSH it took 13 hours to get there and 21 hours to get home with some horrendous headwinds heading westbound....:sad::redface:
Click to expand...

Want lift?

Deal with the drag!

Tit for tat:yes:
 
Skylane81E said:
Want lift?

Deal with the drag!

Tit for tat:yes:
Click to expand...

Either that or have a complex wing with leading and trailing edge devices do you can have both.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4
 
cheap weenie said:
Either that or have a complex wing with leading and trailing edge devices do you can have both.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...

Yep, extending slats and split flaps go a long way, but they add weight, complexity and expense.
 
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